Guide to solo-friendly restaurants
by Kathie Jenkins--

Pioneer Press, St. Paul Friday, Oct. 24, 2003

Walking into a restaurant alone can be intimidating. Yet, what are
you supposed to do if you're craving raw fish and you don't know anyone
who likes sushi? Or you're out running errands and your stomach starts
to growl?

Instead of resorting to takeout, put your self-confidence to the
test. Walk into a restaurant and request a table. If you're truly
intimidated, start someplace where there's a counter or bar and bring
along a good book. To get you going, here's a list of places that
are particularly solo-friendly.

Birchwood Cafe, 3311 E. 25th St., Minneapolis; 612-722-4474
This laid-back bakery/restaurant offers a terrific selection of
seasonal soups, salads, stews, pastas, pizzas and pies, allowing solo
diners a variety of tastes without having to share. No need to worry
about anyone watching you — they're all much too busy ordering at
the counter, schlepping trays and busing dishes.

Buon Giorno Italian Market,981 Sibley Memorial Hwy, Lilydale; 651-905-1080
This yuppie deli has become quite a hot spot at lunch. Join the line
at the pasta bar and watch the chef whip up your order to your exact
specifications. At night, plop down at the bar or a table in the
restaurant, I have salad and pasta (they even offer
half-portions).

D'Amico and Sons,975 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-227-9933
Order whatever — a turkey and bacon sandwich, a Caesar
salad — at the counter and then grab a table by the window.
Don't miss out on the unlimited refills of house wine by the glass
at this location and the one on Hennepin Avenue.

Downtowner Woodfire Grill,253 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-228-9500
If Sen. Mark Dayton and St. Paul Police Chief Bill Finney can stop
here for a bite to eat, so can you. Try the fettuccine with duck or
the bone-in New York strip steak. Spend a little more and you can end
your meal with warm apple crisp.

Duc's, 783 Radio Drive, Suite:100B, Woodbury 651-735-1044
It's a little place in an strip mall in Woodbury, but it's
so friendly and the food is so comforting that Duc's has become
the unofficial commissary for 3M. Don't miss the wonton soup, beef
with asparagus and sautéed tofu with deep–fried potatoes.

Muffuletta,2260 Como Ave., St. Paul; 651-644-9116
You can't go wrong at this neighborhood restaurant near the
University of Minnesota St. Paul campus. The menu is eclectic —
pork tenderloin, sesame duck, shrimp scampi pasta and the best
chocolate turtle cake you've ever tasted — and solo diners are
more than welcome. And, says the restaurant's spokeswoman, "We don't
stick them in a corner table, unless they ask for one."

River Room,Marshall Field's, 411 Cedar St., St. Paul; 651-292-5174
Because it's in a department store, this downtown institution
caters to shoppers, so solo diners are well taken care of. The seating
is comfortable, the lighting flattering, the prices reasonable. The
signature item is a popover, and you get one no matter what you order.
The menu includes straightforward fare like steak salad, meat loaf,
potpie and herb-crusted pork medallions with mustard sauce.

COUNTERS

FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar,Radisson Hotel, 31 S.Seventh St.,Mpls; 612-216-3473
Since it's in a hotel, the busy restaurant is used to serving solo
diners. Grab a seat at the counter and watch your dinner in the
making. Try the rotisserie chicken or wood-roasted littleneck clams
with linguine.

Highland Grill,771 Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 651-690-1173
Dining alone actually can be an advantage at this easygoing Highland
Park restaurant, where tables are harder to come by than seats at the
counter. Best bites include burger's, steak salad and waffles, blue
corn pancakes and oatmeal with brown sugar and cream at breakfast.

Kincaid's,380 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-602-9000
Find a seat at the broiler bar at this clubby steak and seafood
restaurant or grab a stool in the huge bar. Grilled salmon with a
glass of the house chardonnay is the way to go.

La Bodega,3005 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-823-2661
Portions are tiny, and the prices are high, but go anyway. The
Spanish-style appetizers are served in a setting that will make you
feel like you're in Barcelona.

Oceanaire,Hyatt Regency, 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis;612-333-2277
Belly up to the oyster bar at this swank seafood restaurant with a
retro '30s look and slurp down a few briny bivalves. There are always
about a dozen varieties available on the half shell.

Pazzaluna,360 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-223-7000
The counter with a view of the cooks at work at this stylish
dinner-only Italian restaurant is just right for solo diners and a lot
more pleasant than the high-topped tables in the bar. Stick with the
pastas and you'll be fine.

BARS

Cesare Wine Bar,102 S. Second St., Stillwater; 651-439-1352
Lucky people in Stillwater — they've got one of the top wine
bars in the Twin Cities. So grab a seat — the conversation is
lively, the wine is plentiful and the food's just fine.

La Grolla,452 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-221-1061
It's friendly, inexpensive and it has a menu filled with dishes
that you want to eat — appetizers, terrific pastas, assorted
meats and fish.

Lake Elmo Inn,3442 Lake Elmo Ave. N., Lake Elmo; 651-777-8495
For that personal touch, nothing beats the Lake Elmo Inn, especially
if you put yourself in the hands of John Currier, who's been presiding
over the bar for 18 years. After discussing your food preferences, he
will surprise you with a platter that might include a few kinds of
shrimp, crostini with grilled mushrooms, asparagus with hollandaise
sauce, maybe some sea bass. And that's just for starters. A word of
warning: Everyone wants to sit at the bar, so it's best to call ahead
to reserve a spot.

Lucia's,1432 W. 31st St., Minneapolis; 612-823-7125
You'll likely have to wait for a seat at this popular wine bar, but
the food's worth it, prices are reasonable and service is friendly.
The menu changes weekly, and the food is Minne-sota nice, things
like pizza, goat cheese salad, mushroom risotto, cheese plates and
homey desserts.

Restaurant Alma,528 University Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, 612-379-4909
Chef/owner Alex Roberts is always cooking up something special
like fish stew, seared tuna with shaved fennel and pork loin with
mustard spaetzle. The space is comfortably chic, the wine list
first-rate. The lively bar along one side of the room is perfect
for solo diners.

Ursula's Wine Bar & Café,2125 Fourth St., White Bear Lake; 651-429-9600
The name suggests baguettes, salads and quiche, but the menu says
pork tenderloin, prime beef and bouillabaisse. The restaurant is a
gem, staffed by people who are passionate about food and wine. And
whether it's a party of one or a party of six, everyone gets the
same treatment.

SUSHI BARS

All of the Japanese restaurants offer the same basic sushi.
Here are two where the ambience is a little nicer and the fish
tastes great.